Sweat The Technique

Ep 53 | The Future of Education (with Ravi Gupta) Feb 26, 2025

This week on Sweat the Technique, Doug sits down with his co-host Ravi Gupta for a conversation about the future of education, along with some possible solutions to our schools’ greatest challenges.

Ep 52 | Lessons on Excellent Teaching (with Pritesh Raichura) Feb 19, 2025

This week on Sweath the Technique, Doug sits down with assistant principal and science teacher Pritesh Raichura for an illuminating conversation about best practices in the classroom.

And be sure to check out Pritesh in action below and visit his blog here.

https://steplab.co/watch/pritesh-raichura-lesson-1

Ep 51 | Shaping Behavior (with Tom Bennett) Jan 15, 2025

This week on Sweat the Technique, Doug sits down with behavior and teaching expert Tom Bennett.

Tom is the director and founder of ResearchEd, which has supported teachers by making information about science and research directly accessible to them. He’s the author of books on teaching and behavior, especially Running the Room. He’s been made OBE (Order of the British Empire) for his services to Great Britain.

Ep 50 | Rethinking America’s Schools (with Ashley Rogers Berner) Nov 27, 2024

This week on Sweat the Technique, Doug sits down with Ashley Rogers Berner, author ofEducational Pluralism and Democracy: How to Handle Indoctrination, Promote Exposure, and Rebuild America’s Schools.

Berner, who has studied school systems around the world, describes how ‘pluralism’--multiple pathways within a system of publicly supported schools–is the norm among democracies. Pluralism allows families to choose schools that align to their values and beliefs but also ensure consistent outcomes necessary to sustaining democracy. She proposes a reimagining of both the structure and content of the US public school systems to educate the citizens of tomorrow.

Ep 49 | Lessons from Team Academy (with Ryan Hill’s former students) Aug 21, 2024

This week on Sweat the Technique, Ryan sits down with two of his former students from Team Academy, Kinyette Henderson and Robert Reddick.

They discuss lessons learned from the early years of Ryan’s ambitious school, and what helped them develop into the success stories they are today.

Ep 48 | How to Get Better at Anything (with Scott Young) Aug 14, 2024

This week on Sweat the Technique, Ravi welcomes back Scott Young, author of Get Better at Anything: 12 Maxims for Mastery. Whether you’re a student studying for an exam, an employee learning a new skill at work, or just want to get better at something you’re interested in, Scott’s insights will help you do it better.

Ep 47 | How to Put People First in the Digital World (with Mike Erwin) Aug 07, 2024

This week on Sweat the Technique, Stacey sits down with Mike Erwin, CEO of the Character & Leadership Center, Director of Team Red White and Blue, and co- author of Leadership is a Relationship: How to Put People First in the Digital World.

Mike and his book offer concrete strategies for combating the depersonalization of the Information Age and strengthening our connections with other people.

Ep 46 | Wisdom from 96 Years of Life (with Blouke Carus) Jul 31, 2024

Today Stacey sits down with her friend Blouke Carus to discuss the lessons he’s learned in his 96 years of life.

Among his many accomplishments, Blouke was Chairman Emeritus of the Carus Corporation, the former Chairman of the Carus publishing company, and a former member of the President’s National Council on Education Research - but his wisdom transcends titles as he offers simple, actionable advice for living a long, happy and fulfilling life.

Ep 45 | Learning to Listen (with Jeff Wetzler) Jul 24, 2024

This week on Sweat the Technique, Ryan sits down with Jeff Wetzler, author of Ask: Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs In Leadership and Life.

Jeff offers effective ways to find out what others really think, know, and feel - leading to smarter decisions, more creative solutions, and deeper relationships.

Ep 44 | The Journey to Self Improvement (with Passport Cutty, author of Mending Me) Feb 07, 2024

Stacey sits down with Passport Cutty, author of Mending Me: Your Unfiltered Guide to Fixing Yourself.

She offers wide ranging advice from friendships to dating, to self actualization and beyond.

Ep 43 | Maximize Your Memory (with Greg Ashman) Jan 31, 2024

Doug sits down with Greg Ashman, author of A Little Guide for Teachers: Cognitive Load Theory. Greg discusses Cognitive Load Theory and how we can work to optimize our working and long term memory.

Ep 42 | An American’s Guide to English Education (with Amy Forrester and Adam Boxer) Jan 24, 2024

Doug sits down with Amy Forrester and Adam Boxer, educators and hosts of the podcast They Behave for Me. They compare the American and English educational systems and outline how we can all do better for our kids.

Ep 41 | School Choice for Parents (with Robert Pondiscio) Jan 17, 2024

Doug sits down with Robert Pondiscio, author of How The Other Half Learns: Equality, Excellence, and the Battle Over School Choice.

Robert is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on K–12 education, curriculum, teaching, school choice, and charter schooling.

Ep 40 | What Evolution Teaches Us About Teamwork (with William von Hippel) Jan 10, 2024

Doug sits down with William von Hippel, author of The Social Leap: The New Evolutionary Science of Who We Are, Where We Come From, and What Makes Us Happy.

Ep 39 | Earn and Learn as You Start Your Career (with Ryan Craig) Jan 03, 2024

Ravi sits down with Ryan Craig, author of Apprentice Nation: How the "Earn and Learn" Alternative to Higher Education Will Create a Stronger and Fairer America.

They discuss where the US has gone wrong in preparing our young people to enter the workforce, and how we can do better.

Ep 38 | Lessons from Montessori (with Bob Nardo) Dec 20, 2023

Ryan sits down with Bob Nardo, Founding Head of School & Executive Director at Libertas School of Memphis. They discuss why the principles of Montessori work, and how they can be applied to successful organizations of all kinds.

Ep 37 | How to Teach Your Kids About Money (with Ron Lieber) Dec 13, 2023

Ravi sits down with New York Times columnist Ron Lieber to discuss lessons from his books about setting kids up for a smart financial future.

Ep 36 | Doug’s Kids on Stress and Grades in College Dec 06, 2023

Doug is joined by his children Maia and Caden Lemov for insights from real students on grading and assessments in college and beyond. Their conversation looks to determine how we can optimize rigor and stress to maximize our potential.

Ep 35 | Why Chris "Citizen" Stewart Says Black Children are the New Cotton Nov 29, 2023

Stacey sits down with The Citizen Stewart Show’s Chris “Citizen” Stewart to discuss his Huffington Post piece In The American Public Education System, Black Children Are The New Cotton.

Ep 34 | The Entrepreneur’s Mentality (with Dan Porter) Oct 18, 2023

Ryan sits down with Dan Porter, founder and CEO of Overtime and former president of Teach for America. Dan offers straightforward insights into the mindset that’s led him to success across multiple industries:

Figure out what customers need, and become an expert on it
Find the right people and convince them to keep working with you
Take the risks you need to take to win
And never pivot - just keep making thousands of adjustments until you succeed

Ep 33 | Get Better at Anything (with Lessons from Tennis Pro Ian Westermann) Oct 11, 2023

Ravi sits down with Ian Westermann, founder of Essential Tennis, an online platform for video tennis instruction and pro tennis player analysis. Ian’s insights on improving your tennis game with purpose can be applied across a wide array of sports and endeavors.

Ep 32 | Lessons from Summer Teacher Training (with Stacey Shells Harvey) Oct 04, 2023

Ravi sits down with his Sweat the Technique co-host Stacey Shells Harvey, co-founder and chief executive officer of ReGeneration Schools.

They discuss the benefit of summer teacher training, and how similar trainings can be used to optimize organizations and teams of all kinds.

They also touch on Ravi’s Imbroglio piece “The Alarming Decline of Summer Teacher Training.”

Ep 31 | The Learning Game (with Ana Lorena Fábrega) Sep 27, 2023

Ryan sits down with Ana Lorena Fábrega, author of The Learning Game: Teaching Kids to Think for Themselves, Embrace Challenge, and Love Learning.

Anna discusses how traditional schooling has gone wrong and proposes a series of actionable strategies to help kids learn.

Ep 30 | Get Stronger, Discover Yourself (with Alyssa Ages) Sep 20, 2023

Ravi sits down with Alyssa Ages, author of Secrets of Giants: A Journey to Discover the True Meaning of Strength.

Through the lens of her pursuit of competitive strongman weight lifting, Alyssa describes why physical strength matters, and how it teaches us that we’re capable of so much more than we know.

Ep 29 | How Industrious Beat WeWork (with Jamie Hodari) Sep 12, 2023

Ravi sits down with Jamie Hodari, the founder of Industrious, one of the world’s largest flexible workspace providers. Jamie discusses a sustainable path for startups in the era of VC money, the future of office work, and some wild run-ins with WeWork’s Adam Neumann.

Ep 28 | A Coach's Guide to Teaching (with Doug Lemov) Sep 06, 2023

Ravi sits down with his co-host and author of The Coach’s Guide to Teaching, Doug Lemov. Doug talks about how the science of classroom teaching can be leveraged in sports to create championship caliber coaches on the court and field.

Ep 27 | How to Be a Great Teammate (with Jerry Lynch and John O'Sullivan) Aug 23, 2023

Doug sits down with Jerry Lynch and John O'Sullivan, authors of The Champion Teammate: Timeless Lessons to Connect, Compete and Lead in Sports and Life.

Listen in for advice on building better relationships, practicing effective leadership, and developing the competitive prowess needed to be an exceptional teammate.

Ep 26 | Doug’s Kids Review His Parenting Aug 16, 2023

Today Doug is joined by his kids Maia and Caden Lemov. They discuss the parenting styles they grew up with, and how they think they’ll parent their own kids in the future.

Ep 25 | How Learning Happens (with Carl Hendrick) Aug 09, 2023

Doug sits down with Carl Hendrick, co-author of How Learning Happens. Listen in for a wide-ranging and fascinating discussion about learning with this former rock band front man, current PhD and professor of applied sciences.

Ep 24 | The Self-Driven Child (with William Stixrud and Ned Johnson) Aug 02, 2023

Ravi sits down with William Stixrud, PhD and Ned Johnson to discuss lessons learned from their book The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control over Their Lives.

Listen in for William and Ned’s insights about stepping back as parents to let your children navigate the world with confidence and find their own path.

EP 23 | Lead Through Relationships (with Susan Asiyanbi) Jul 26, 2023

Ryan sits down with Susan Asiyanbi, founder and CEO of The Olori Network, a coaching practice that helps executives and leaders achieve their goals by building better working relationships with their employees and business partners.

Susan started as a teacher in Newark, New Jersey, and later served in many leadership roles at Teach for America, including Chief Operating Officer and Chief Transformation Officer. Her job now focuses on coaching managers on how to lead through an equity lens.

Ep 22 | Camp for Adults and the Power of Fitness Communities (with Sadie Durante) Jul 19, 2023

Following up last week’s show about learning one skill per year, Ravi sits down with friend and fitness expert Sadie Durante, who coached him during his year of powerlifting.

Sadie is the director of Power Monkey Fitness and offers lessons about the importance of building community and emphasizing fun while teaching life-changing skills.

Ep 21 | How to Follow Your Dreams by Learning One Skill Per Year (with Ravi Gupta) Jul 12, 2023

Ryan sits down with Ravi to discuss his Imbroglio piece One Skill Per Year.

Each year for the past five years, Ravi has followed a regimen of intense focus to successfully learn one skill:

2019: Powerlifting
2020: Screenwriting
2021: Surfing
2022: Tennis
2023: Novel writing

Ravi presents a roadmap for anyone who has always wanted to learn something, but never got around to it. If you’ve got dreams about things you’ve always wanted to do - it’s not too late. Take Ravi’s advice and make them happen.

Ep 20 | Turning Youth Athletes Into Pros (with Matt Lawrey and Steve Covino) Jun 28, 2023

This week on Sweat the Technique, Doug sits down with two innovators in the world of youth soccer to discuss what it takes to turn promising young athletes into world-class champions.

Matt Lawrey is the director at Atlanta United Youth Academy, and Steve Covino is the school’s under seventeen head coach.

Ep 19 | The Cat and Mouse Game of AI Detection (with Edward Tian) Jun 21, 2023

Ravi interviews Edward Tian, a recent Princeton graduate and brilliant young creator of GPT Zero: one of the web’s foremost AI detection tools.

They discuss the technology, ethics and implications of AI as it pertains not only to education - but to law, business, journalism, and beyond.

Ep 18 | How to Raise Kids Who Aren't Assholes (with Melinda Wenner Moyer) Jun 14, 2023

Today Stacey interviews Melinda Wenner Moyer, author of How to Raise Kids Who Aren't Assholes: Science-Based Strategies for Better Parenting--from Tots to Teens.

Melinda provides an actionable, science-based guide for parents on how to shape their kids into honest, kind, generous, confident, independent, and resilient people.

Introducing the Citizen Stewart Show | Empowering Kids and Parents with Arne Duncan and Stacey Harvey Jun 07, 2023

The Branch Media brings you a special presentation of The Citizen Stewart Show - a podcast about education in America. This week, host Chris “Citizen” Stewart interviewed two of his favorite education luminaries.

First up: President Obama’s Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan:

Five Ways We Can Put Aside Partisan Politics And Think Big On Education (Washington Times, 10/18/21)

Study Shows Parents Overestimate Their Student’s Academic Progress (PBS, 4/16/23)

We Know How To Prevent Gun Violence. Now We Need To Scale It. (Stanford Social Innovation Review, 7/14/22)

Next: Stacey Shells Harvey from The Branch’s Sweat the Technique podcast:

New Bill Would Eliminate Retention Under Ohio’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee (Ohio Capital Journal, 3/22/23)

Third Grade Retention - What Does The Research Say About Retaining Students In Third Grade For Not Being Able To Read At Grade Level? (Regional Education Laboratory Program, 10/1/19)

Ep 17 | Let Your Children Fail (with Jessica Lahey) May 31, 2023

Ravi sits down with Jessica Lahey, author of The GIft of Failure for an illuminating conversation about parenting. From homework to report cards, social dynamics, and sports - Jessica’s advice will help parents step back and embrace their children’s setbacks along with their successes.

Ep 16 | What I Learned From Founding 23 Public Schools (with Ryan Hill) May 24, 2023

Ravi interviews co-host Ryan Hill about his experience as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of KIPP New Jersey and Miami. Ryan shares how the organization went from one school in New Jersey in 2002, where he was the founding principal, to 23 schools in New Jersey and Florida that now serve nearly 10,000 students. Ravi and Ryan discuss what they've learned from running schools, how leaders can build systems that support structure and creativity, and why a strong culture is critical to successful schools and organizations.

Ep 15 | The Power of Video in Coaching (with Luke Gromer & Darren Lewis) May 17, 2023

Doug sits down with two coaches who use video to elevate the performance of their athletes.

Luke Gromer is the host of The Cutting Edge Coaching Podcast as well as a teacher and coach, working primarily with young athletes.

And Darren Lewis is the director of Codex Analysis, and has worked primarily with professional rugby players.

Ep 14 | How to Master Anything (with Scott Young) May 10, 2023

Ravi sits down with Scott Young, author of Ultralearning to discuss how to master hard skills quickly. Lifelong learners will benefit from Scott’s techniques as they take up new hobbies or look to accelerate their careers.

Also check out The Branch’s Imbroglio newsletter this week for more on lifelong learning lessons from Ravi.

Ep 13 | Meritocracy and Socialism (with Dr. Ilya V. Buynevich) May 03, 2023

Doug interviews Dr. Ilya V. Buynevich, Professor of Geology at Temple University. Ilya grew up in Soviet-era Ukraine and harbors an informed skepticism about his students’ enthusiasm for certain aspects of socialism.

Take a listen for his thoughts on the benefits of meritocracy in education, and read more in his piece here.

Ep 12 | Starting Up and Staying Kind (with Christine Choi) Apr 26, 2023

Ryan sits down with Christine Choi, a founding member of Teach for America, former Head of Communications for Virgin Galactic, and current partner at M13.

Christine is a life-long learner with vast experience across an array of startups and global brands. She offers lessons on how to build teams, manage crises and make big moves - all while staying humble, kind and community-focused.

Ep 11 | Becoming a Sleuth for Your Child's Health (with Sehreen Noor Ali) Apr 19, 2023

Stacey sits down with Sehreen Noor Ali, co-founder of Sleuth, a startup that gives parents better directions on early childhood health. Sehreen offers lessons to help parents navigate healthcare and advocate for their children.

Ep 10 | Parenting Lessons from Running Schools (with Stacey and Doug) Apr 12, 2023

Hosts Doug Lemov and Stacey Shells Harvey discuss the lessons they’ve learned from running schools, and how they’ve applied them to their roles as parents.

This is an illuminating and heartfelt conversation from two experts, colleagues and friends.

Ep 9 | Who Coaches the Coaches? (with Cody Royle) Apr 05, 2023

Ravi and Doug interview Cody Royle, a coach of coaches from professional Rugby to leaders in the corporate world.

Cody offers insightful lessons about how great coaches operate. For example: theatrical halftime speeches in movies are not the real thing - great coaches simply offer specific, effective instructions for how to succeed in the moment.

Ep 8 | Training Leaders to Act Like Teachers (with Marc Mannella) Mar 29, 2023

Ravi sits down with Marc Mannella, founder of KIPP public schools, who now uses his expertise from K-12 to train prominent leaders to act more like great teachers.

Ep 7 | Better Call Cutty (with Passport Cutty) Mar 22, 2023

Host Stacey Shells Harvey interviews her friend Alex Brooks, AKA Passport Cutty: influencer, author, and empowering life coach. She offers lessons from parenting and dating, to growing up and speaking up in today’s overly-online world.

Ep 6 | Controllable, Specific & Positive (with Dan Abrahams) Mar 15, 2023

Doug and Ravi interview Dan Abrahams, a sport psychologist known for creating simple-to-use performance techniques for players and coaches at the highest levels. While his work has primarily focused on professional soccer and golf, his teachings can be applied to any sport and a wide range of endeavors.

Ep 5 | Considering Culture (with John Reid-Dodick) Mar 08, 2023

Ryan interviews John Reid-Dodick, Chief People Officer at AlphaSense and former change-maker at AOL and WeWork. Insights from John’s vast experience influencing corporate culture can serve as useful lessons for teachers, students and leaders of all kinds.

Ep 4 | Lessons on Resilience (with George Bonanno) Mar 01, 2023

Ravi and Doug discuss the new science of resilience with George Bonnano, author of The End of Trauma. George talks about how we as a society are having the wrong conversation about trauma, and what we can do about it – from K-12 education to the medical profession.

George is a Professor of Clinical Psychology and Chair of the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology at Columbia University's Teachers College.

Ep 3 | Lifelong Learning with World-Renowned Surf Coach Ru Hill Feb 22, 2023

Ravi sits down with Ru Hill on location in Costa Rica. Ru is the founder and owner of Surf Simply, one of the most renowned surf schools in the world. He offers lessons that can be applied both out on the waves and in your everyday life.

Ep 2 | The Upside of Stress (with Dr. Kelly McGonigal) Feb 15, 2023

This week, hosts Ryan Hill and Ravi Gupta sit down with Dr. Kelly McGonigal to discuss her book The Upside of Stress. She offers a surprising new view of stress—one that reveals its benefits, and explains how we can capitalize on them.

Dr. McGonigal is a health psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University.

New episodes of Sweat the Technique will drop every Wednesday.

Ep 1 | Teaching Like a Champion (with Doug Lemov) Feb 08, 2023

Introducing Lost Debate's newest weekly podcast, Sweat the Technique! In our very first episode, Ravi sits down with co-host Doug Lemov, K-12 expert and author of the international bestseller Teach Like a Champion. They discuss how lessons from teaching and running schools can be used toward success in any field.

New episodes of Sweat the Technique will drop every Wednesday.

Introducing: Sweat The Technique Jan 31, 2023

How do we get better, faster? A group of pathbreaking educators come together weekly to answer that question, applying lessons from the classroom to all areas of life — from parenting to relationships, to sports, to hobbies, and more.

Sweat the Technique is hosted by four former principals and superintendents who’ve led gap-closing schools.

That includes: Doug Lemov, author of the international bestseller Teach Like a Champion and trainer to many successful educators and professional sports coaches, Ryan Hill, founder and CEO of a network of 23 KIPP public charter schools in New Jersey and Miami, Stacey Shells Harvey, founder and CEO of ReGeneration Schools, and Ravi Gupta, former leader of Tennessee's highest performing network of charter schools and founder of the largest-ever training organization for Democratic candidates and staffers.

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